css properties font-variant-caps

The font-variant-caps CSS property controls the use of alternate glyphs for capital letters.

When a given font includes capital letter glyphs of multiple different sizes, this property selects the most appropriate ones. If petite capital glyphs are not available, they are rendered using small capital glyphs. If these are not present, the browser synthesizes them from the uppercase glyphs.

Fonts sometimes include special glyphs for various caseless characters (such as punctuation marks) to better match the capitalized characters around them. However, small capital glyphs are never synthesized for caseless characters.

Language-specific rules

This property accounts for language-specific case mapping rules. For example:

Syntax

/* Keyword values */
font-variant-caps: normal;
font-variant-caps: small-caps;
font-variant-caps: all-small-caps;
font-variant-caps: petite-caps;
font-variant-caps: all-petite-caps;
font-variant-caps: unicase;
font-variant-caps: titling-caps;

/* Global values */
font-variant-caps: inherit;
font-variant-caps: initial;
font-variant-caps: revert;
font-variant-caps: revert-layer;
font-variant-caps: unset;

The font-variant-caps property is specified using a single keyword value from the list below. In each case, if the font doesn't support the OpenType value, then it synthesizes the glyphs.

Values

normal

Deactivates of the use of alternate glyphs.

small-caps

Enables display of small capitals (OpenType feature: smcp). Small-caps glyphs typically use the form of uppercase letters but are reduced to the size of lowercase letters.

all-small-caps

Enables display of small capitals for both upper and lowercase letters (OpenType features: c2sc, smcp).

petite-caps

Enables display of petite capitals (OpenType feature: pcap).

all-petite-caps

Enables display of petite capitals for both upper and lowercase letters (OpenType features: c2pc, pcap).

unicase

Enables display of mixture of small capitals for uppercase letters with normal lowercase letters (OpenType feature: unic).

titling-caps

Enables display of titling capitals (OpenType feature: titl). Uppercase letter glyphs are often designed for use with lowercase letters. When used in all uppercase titling sequences they can appear too strong. Titling capitals are designed specifically for this situation.

Accessibility concerns

Large sections of text set with a font-variant value of all-small-caps or all-petite-caps may be difficult for people with cognitive concerns such as Dyslexia to read.

Formal definition

Initial valuenormal
Applies toall elements and text
Inheritedyes
Computed valueas specified
Animation typediscrete

Formal syntax

normal | small-caps | all-small-caps | petite-caps | all-petite-caps | unicase | titling-caps

Examples

Setting the small-caps font variant

HTML

<p class="small-caps">Firefox rocks, small caps!</p>
<p class="normal">Firefox rocks, normal caps!</p>

CSS

.small-caps {
  font-variant-caps: small-caps;
  font-style: italic;
}
.normal {
  font-variant-caps: normal;
  font-style: italic;
}

See also